Heating chickens

[Akrause57]

Hello all! I live in massachusetts and it is just starting to get below 30 during the day. Our water has been freezing so I was wondering if anyone had water heater suggestions. In addition to I need a heating pad for the coop? I have 9 hens and they seem to be fine but I heard leghorns can get frostbite on their combs. Is this true? How can I prevent it?

 

[jreardon1918]

Hey neighbor. I posted this response in another thread earlier this morning.

Hi neighbor. We are near Foxborough, MA. The coop has no insulation. We leave the windows open year round. The coop got down to 23F & 78% humidity last night. Same as the outdoor temperatures. Right now the coop is up to 25F and the humidity is the same as the outdoor air. The lowest I recall for a temperature in the coop is -4F. The girls did fine. Windows open, no heat. Here is an article I did on prepping for winter. Preparing the girls for winter​

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Your setup is similar to ours. The run protects the coop. You could open that window in the coop that opens to the run. That will be great ventilation. The chickens will be fine. Really. Promise.​

 

[Aapomp831]

You protect against frostbite with proper ventilation. A dry chicken is a happy chicken. No heat in the coop - they don’t need it.

 

[Alaskan]

I have 9 hens and they seem to be fine but I heard leghorns can get frostbite on their combs. Is this true?

I actually found that leghorns had less risk of frostbite since the huge combs folded over on their heads.

The single combs with tiny thin points pointing straight up, (on my bantam d'uccle) did get frostbite.

Where I live the ambient humidity tends to be high... so I can't avoid some frostbite on combs or wattle edges.

As a result I have now switched to breeds with tiny combs and wattles.

But.... even if a bit of frostbite does happen, just watch it, do nothing. It usually heals up on its own without any doctoring.

 

[aart]

But.... even if a bit of frostbite does happen, just watch it, do nothing. It usually heals up on its own without any doctoring.

Even severe frostbite on combs and wattles will heal up on it's own...
...best not to doctor it.